Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron has been the most prominent Western leader to publicly align with Armenia’s position in the conflict with Azerbaijan. Following the September 2023 Azerbaijani offensive and the ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), France strengthened its security cooperation with Armenia, approved arms sales including radar systems and armored vehicles, and supported Armenia’s engagement with European security structures. Macron’s public statements have been among the sharpest Western criticisms of Azerbaijani conduct.

France’s motivations are debated. The French-Armenian diaspora — one of the largest in the world, with deep roots in communities that survived the 1915 Genocide — gives Armenian issues political salience in France that few other conflicts enjoy. But the diaspora alone does not fully explain the depth of French state engagement. Some analysts argue that France sees Armenia as a potential strategic foothold against Russian influence in the South Caucasus — a western-oriented “bastion” that, if successfully anchored to European structures, would extend EU and NATO-adjacent reach into a region where Moscow has long held sway. In this reading, France’s Armenia policy is as much about containing Russia and countering Turkish influence as it is about solidarity with a small Christian nation.

Groong has covered Macron’s role in Armenian affairs from his early mediation efforts in the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair format through the post-2023 security partnership. Episodes in this category address France’s arms transfers, the political dynamics driving French engagement, the debate over France’s true strategic calculus, and the limits of what a bilateral Franco-Armenian security relationship can realistically provide.

Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | Artsakh Reshuffle | Opposition [EP181]

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2022 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir

Guest:

Arthur G. Martirosyan

Topics:

Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations Continue
- CSTO Debacle
- Lavrov Bombshell
- Lachin Corridor Blockaded
- Brussels Summit Canceled
Artsakh President Lays off Government
Parliamentary Opposition Fragmenting

Episode 181 | Recorded: December 6, 2022

Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations | Artsakh Reshuffle | Opposition [EP181]

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 6, 2022 | Category: Politics, Armenia, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh

Guest:

Arthur G. Martirosyan

Topics:

Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations Continue
- CSTO Debacle
- Lavrov Bombshell
- Lachin Corridor Blockaded
- Brussels Summit Canceled
Artsakh President Lays off Government
Parliamentary Opposition Fragmenting

Episode 181 | Recorded: December 6, 2022

Monitors in Armenia | Russia-West Rivalry in South Caucasus | Armenia-Iran Relations | Israel-Lebanon Maritime Agreement | Lebanon Presidential Elections [EP171]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 23, 2022 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Diaspora, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, India, Lebanon, Turkey, Russia, Israel, Ukraine | Series: WIR

Guests:

Topics:

Monitors in Armenia
Russia-West Rivalry in the South Caucasus
Armenian-Iranian Relations
Maritime Agreement between Israel and Lebanon
State of Lebanonâs Presidential Election

Monitors in Armenia | Russia-West Rivalry in South Caucasus | Armenia-Iran Relations | Israel-Lebanon Maritime Agreement | Lebanon Presidential Elections [EP171]

Posted on Sunday, Oct 23, 2022 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Diaspora, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, India, Lebanon, Turkey, Russia, Israel, Ukraine

Guests:

Topics:

Monitors in Armenia
Russia-West Rivalry in the South Caucasus
Armenian-Iranian Relations
Maritime Agreement between Israel and Lebanon
State of Lebanonâs Presidential Election

Ardy Kassakhian and Adrin Nazarian: The LA City Council Scandal [EP170]

Posted on Friday, Oct 21, 2022 | Category: US Politics, Diaspora, Artsakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Human Rights, Genocide, Iran, Middle East, Syria, Ukraine | Series: cog

Guests:

Ardashes âArdyâ Kassakhian is a Glendale City Councilman, and the current mayor of Glendale
Adrin Nazarian is the California State Assemblymember from the 46th District, representing the San Fernando Valley

Topics:

On the LA City Council scandal and how to move forward
On Paul Krekorian, elected LA City Council president
On redistricting in the aftermath of the scandal
On the effect of the scandal on the LA mayoral race
On Armeniaâs Situation in the South Caucasus
On Armeniaâs Negotiations with Azerbaijan
On Turkish-Armenian âNormalizationâ

Episode 170 | Recorded: October 19 & 20, 2022

Ardy Kassakhian and Adrin Nazarian: The LA City Council Scandal [EP170]

Posted on Friday, Oct 21, 2022 | Category: US Politics, Diaspora, Artsakh, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Human Rights, Genocide, Iran, Middle East, Syria, Ukraine

Guests:

Ardashes âArdyâ Kassakhian is a Glendale City Councilman, and the current mayor of Glendale
Adrin Nazarian is the California State Assemblymember from the 46th District, representing the San Fernando Valley